Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-09-03
The Special Session of the Legislature
Grinding Away at the Big Grist
Which 1t Has on Hand.
Lee Mantle, of Butte, Introduces His
Scheme for the Reincorpor alton
Of the City and COmmends
1t in Speech.
Tim Collins Introduces His Little Bill
for the New County of Cascade
and Urges It-What Jerry
Collins Says in Its Favor
Other Specials.

/
The Special Session.
LIVELY DAY YESTERDAY
HELENA. September 1.-[Special to Th,
Miner by Rocky Mountain Telegraph J.
The talking has begun in both branches
and while the debate in the House was not
very long, it was suggestive of possibilities
and contingencies. Half a dozen gooc
issue was departed from the talk pro anc
con on woman suffrage was anything but
prosy. WAtchful and wary as usual where
he is interested, Mr.. Mantle opened the bal
| in few pointed remarks that were intended
| to help the incorporation law and ht
served his purpose; for in the debate
several members expressed themselves ir
| favor Ut
| AMENDING THE LAW
| to meet all objections. It is just as well to
say right here that Mantle is now engaged
preparing amendments. The main features
that he will alter will be to make all the
| officers elective. He takes out the property
qualification for officers, lessons the
authority to expend money from four to
two per cent OF the assessed valuation and
provides that not more than one per cent
shall be expended in any one year. His
proposed amendments further provide that
mines and mining machinery within the
city limits shall not be subject
to taxation by the city except
such surface ground as is use
for private purposes, and farther that no
bonded Indebtedness shall be created except
by a vote Of the people.
IN THE COUNCIL
the Cascade County bill had the floor, and
such was the interest that no member was
allowed to 60 to sleep. This is a funny
kind of three-cornered fight, as the bill
robs Lewis and Clarke. Choteau and
Meagher of portions of their territ ory, still
it by no means indicates that the senti-
ment of Lewis and Clarke is unanimous in
opposition to the bill. Helena has con-
siderable capital at Great Falls. and as the
new county 1s tributary to Great Falls,
they would like to see the bin passed.-Als
though the Council defeated the House ad-
iournment resolution SO sumnariy, it yes
terday adopted q joint resolution that
after 10 q. m. Sat +urday, no bills should BE-
introduced. This will either be amended
or defeated by the House. As Burleigh has
introduced a bill for the repeal OF the
Gopher bill, and as the Registration and
General Incorporation and Penitentiary
bills are to be introduced, the chances for
an extended session are favorable.
THE HOUSE WAS CALLED TO ORDER
at the usual hour, the Speaker in the chair.
Tie Committee on Towns and Counties re-
ported favorably House bill No. and it
was placed on the general order. The Com.
m ttee on Judiciary reported favorably on
House bill No. A and it was placed on the
general order. Marshall OF Mlssoula, g We
notice that he would introduce bill to
provide for the condemnation OF land for
railroad purposes. Holt OF Custer, gave
notice that he would introduce bill to
provide for the pay OF stock killed by oper-
ating railroads. The bill amending the
lien law was read second time and re-
ferred to the Committee on Education and
Labor. House bill No. 5, providing that
the mayor of incorporated cities shall have
authority to appoint justice OF the peace
as acting police judge during the absence OF
the latter, was read third time and
passed. The House went into committee
of the whole on bill No. 4, introduced by
Marshall, to regulate the trial practice in
the District Court in regard to exceptions
and instructions. The bill provides that
in the trial of causes before a District Court
the instructions of the Court shall in all
cases be deemed as excepted to whether the
attorney makes the exception at the time
or not. The object of the hill as explained
was to save to litigants before the appel
late courts their rights which may have
been
JEoPARD1zED BY THE NEGLECT OF COUNSEL.
The bill was reported favorably to the
House. The Committee then proceeded to
consider House bill No. Z, prescribing the
qualifications of voters. Mr.. Anderson
explained that the intent OF the bill was
to make the qualifications OF voters the
same in all Incorporated cities. The bill
provides that the qualifications OF voters
shall be the same as for Territorial officers.
except that in cases when money or bonds
were to be voted, only taxpayers shall
vote. Mr.. Marshall took exception to the
term taxpayer, as in this Territory every
citizen is taxpayer as applied to this bill.
The Speaker wanted to know, If the bill
was passed, whether it would repeal the
present incorporation of Bozeman. Mr..
Blake made speech in favor OF the act, AS
it would abolish woman suffrage in Boze-
man, feature to which he was opposed.
Mr.. Anderson said that at present in the
CITY of Bozeman no one could vote for any
municipal officer unless he was taxpayer.
By this rule fully one.half OF the citizens
of Bozeman were not entitled to vote.
Mantle called attention to the fact OF the
passage OF the General incorporation Act;
the bill was one that applied to every city,
town and village and was ample for every
place, It had some defects, but he hoped
| the legislature would spend little time
in perfecting it. There was law which
| PREVENTED SPECIAL LEGISLATION,
yet there was hardly a measure introduced
which, though general on it's face. was not
special in it's purpose. Mr.. Too!e devoted
himself to little talk on the suffrage ques
! ton, and announced that if the purpose o.
the bill was to deprive woman OF suffrage
he would not vote for it. The debate was
continued at some length, and was partici
pated in by Marshall, Anderson, Mantle
Brooks, Blake and Hargrave, the latter
gentleman making strong defense o
women suffrage. Speaker Armstrong mad
q suffrage speech. and Marshall replied in {
red hot anti-suffrage one, to which tn
speaker responded in good shape. At tn
conclusion of the debate, after some rarlia
msntary skirmishing, the committee aros